Chirakan-Forging Common Interests and Shared Future Between Arakan and Chin

Aung Naing Lin

Global Arakan Network August 30, 2025

Chin and Rakhine Cultural Dance (photocrd)

The Arakan region embodies a rich history of sovereignty and cultural pride, yet it has faced decades of marginalization under Myanmar’s military junta. The Arakan Army (AA) and its civilian wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA), have gained significant control over Rakhine State—over 90% by mid-2025—fueling aspirations for autonomy and equitable development. The Chirakan (Chin+Arakan) initiative’s policy statements, emphasizing cooperation with Chinland, peaceful resolution of the Paletwa issue, and unity against the junta, align with these goals. These policies offer a pathway to strengthen regional ties, counter oppression, and build a shared future.

From an Arakan perspective, the recognition of Chin and Arakan as indivisible neighbors resonates deeply with the Rakhine people’s desire for regional solidarity to achieve autonomy and prosperity. Sharing a border with Chin State, Arakan sees cooperation as essential to counter the Myanmar junta’s divide-and-rule tactics, which have historically pitted ethnic groups against each other. The AA’s control over key northern townships, like Buthidaung and Maungdaw, positions it to foster cross-border partnerships that benefit both regions’ economic and political aspirations.

Cooperation could take the form of joint economic initiatives, particularly around the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, which links Sittwe to Paletwa and India’s northeastern states. The Rakhine people demand that Kaladan’s revenues fund local infrastructure, such as schools and roads, in all Arakan. A bilateral trade agreement could also boost economic interdependence, with Rakhine’s rice and fish supporting Chin’s food security. Culturally, joint festivals celebrating Rakhine Buddhist heritage and Chin tribal traditions could strengthen mutual respect, countering the junta’s assimilationist policies that have sidelined both groups’ languages and histories.

However, the Arakan perspective acknowledges challenges, particularly the Paletwa dispute. To avoid division, the Rakhine advocate for a joint Arakan-Chin effort to manage shared interests, such as trade routes and security. This effort could ensure equitable resource allocation and prevent external powers, from exploiting regional tensions. By prioritizing dialogue and mutual benefit, Arakan sees cooperation with Chinland as a cornerstone of a federated Myanmar, where both regions thrive as autonomous equals, free from junta control.

AA and CB Forces Captured Several Towns in Southern Chin (photocrd)

Seeing Paletwa as Unity, Not Division

The Paletwa issue is a critical test for Arakan-Chin relations, and from an Arakan perspective, resolving it peacefully is vital to undermine the junta’s influence and ensure regional stability. Paletwa is historically tied to Arakan, has been under AA control since January 2024. The Rakhine people recognize that violence over Paletwa only strengthens the junta, which thrives on ethnic divisions to maintain its weakening grip on power.

A peaceful resolution requires acknowledging Paletwa’s role as a cultural crossroads and a strategic hub for the Kaladan project. The AA’s control ensures influence over this economic corridor, but the Rakhine are open to share profits, such as a Paletwa Administration with both Rakhine, Khumei and other minority groups' representation. This could manage security, infrastructure, and revenue distribution, ensuring benefits for both communities. For instance, Kaladan’s transit fees could fund schools teaching Rakhine and Khumei languages, addressing educational disparities in Paletwa’s mixed Rakhine, Khumi and other minority populations.

A Landmark Bridge of Paletwa (photo)

The government of Arakan is wary of Kaladan’s potential to repeat past challenges, where foreign projects enriched external actors while displacing locals. A transparent revenue-sharing agreement, negotiated with southern Chin partners, could ensure profits support local development, such as hospitals or markets in Paletwa. The AA’s 2024 engagement with Indian authorities signals a commitment to diplomacy, and we should urge Chin brothers to join mediated talks, to resolve any disputes. By prioritizing negotiation over conflict, Arakan aims to transform Paletwa into a symbol of cooperation, weakening the junta’s strategy and fostering shared prosperity.

Uniting with Chinland against the Burmese military dictatorship is a strategic necessity to dismantle the junta and secure a future of peace and autonomy. The Myanmar junta’s oppression, marked by violence and economic neglect, has united the Rakhine and Chin in their resistance. The AA’s control over most of Rakhine State and the Chin resistance’s capture of over 10 townships in Chin State by 2025 create a powerful opportunity for a joint anti-junta front.

Militarily, the Rakhine see potential in coordinated operations with Chin forces, such as the Chin Brotherhood Alliance, to defend the junta threats in the region. Sharing intelligence and resources could maximize impact while minimizing losses. Politically, the AA’s “Way of Rakhita” aligns with Chin aspirations for self-governance, suggesting a confederal Myanmar where ethnic states hold significant autonomy. Joint advocacy with the Chinland actors could push this vision in negotiations with other bodies, leveraging the junta’s weakened state, evident in its reliance on air strikes.

Economically, the Arakan perspective emphasizes collaboration on projects like Kaladan to drive prosperity. A regional development fund, financed by project revenues, could address poverty in both regions, where underinvestment has left communities struggling. For example, a cross-border highway linking Sittwe to Matupi and Mindat could boost trade, while joint agricultural programs could ensure food security. Challenges, like the Paletwa dispute and Chin’s internal disputes, require dialogue, and the AA’s support for Chin's resolution efforts in 2025 signals goodwill. In short, by uniting against the junta, Arakan and Chinland can build a shared future of peace and prosperity, rooted in mutual respect and autonomy.